The Jakarta administration says that the construction of the city’s first Mass Rapid Transportation (MRT) system will begin with work on underground structures, as there is less preparation needed than with work above ground.

Manpala Gupta Sitorus, spokesman of the city-owned would-be operator PT MRT Jakarta, said on Wednesday that the contract signing for the underground construction was scheduled for September.

“Preparation for the underground work does not involve procuring land, which enables us to start working on it a lot faster,” Manpala said.

The first phase of the MRT project — which comprises a central station, depot and a line running from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta — is expected to begin before the end of the year and is to be completed by 2016.